4th of July

homemade peach iced cream and watermelon

Gus and Katherine drove up the road from Mobile to Frankville every year with a small bundle of fireworks. They didn’t visit much but we were always glad to see them in the hot Alabama summer. Mammy’s front porch painted Battleship gray, porch swing rusty chain grinding as we sweat. Mosquitos. Dew on the grass, the noisy comfort of the summer woods.

Granddaddy always had ribs on the grill, cut long quarters of watermelon, so sweet, then as the sun was leaving through the tall pines she plugged in the ice cream maker, added the fresh Georgia peaches and we waited.

Oh Well…Those times are far behind me. I’d like to forget, not have memories. I get tired of the same old ones.

I haven’t been patriotic for years and it’s hard to stomach now. The lying, at every turn by somebody. We have sold out folks. There is no empathy in a place where we only care for ourselves. We are wary of each other, there’s no trust and who the hell ever thought in our country with all of its’ cruelties would be worse than our past. Going backwards into a bad history doing worse things.

It was no ordinary election.

That vote was a choice.

Now we watch…

I want to live in the woods with the animals, most days. Porch sitting, bream fishing, boat rides, sweet iced tea, cantaloupe, peaches, a small garden, my bird feeders, my sister and John Henry, and my somebody, for life. Oh, and get way more dogs and cats, looking for a raccoon is my next mission.

There are 12 tour dates with Little Big Town and Wynonna in August, starting on July 31. I will be up there solo warming up the atmosphere for WY and The Town. I’m learning songs for a new album, release next year.

I am blessed to be able to make things. Art and listening. There is solace in creating and making music that helps grease our hearts and souls so we can stay together. As we keep listening.

love,

SL